Back brace garment



July 1, 1969 G. CAPRIO 3,452,748

BACK BRACE GARMENT Filed March 22, 1966 Sheet of 2 F I G. 4 627x 5 A 3 25 0 BY zwwm- M W Ar 702N545 y 1969 e. CAPRIO BACK BRACE GARMENT Sheet Filed March 22, 1966 INVENTOR. ENE flPE/O Wwm United States Patent 3,452,748 BACK BRACE GARMENT Gene Caprio, 22920 Nadine Circle, Torrance, Calif. 90505 Filed Mar. 22, 1966, Ser. No. 536,389 Int. Cl. A61f /02 US. Cl. 128-78 3 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A back brace garment including an inner section adapted to encircle the body and develop pressure against the sacrum and lumbar vertebrae regions. The garment also includes an outer section which overlies and cooperates with the inner section to constrain the upper portion of the wearers body from twisting relative to his hips.

The present invention relates to a back brace garment, and more particularly to a garment which can be worn to support the sacrum and lumbar vertebrae regions, particularly following surgery.

It is an objejct of the present invention to provide a back brace garment of the aforementioned character which includes a back pad having a stiff supporting plate formed and arranged for bearing generally upon the sacrum and lumbar vertebrae regions. The comparatively large area of the supporting plate provides much improved support compared to previous trusses and like garments. The present back brace garment also includes elongated band portions which are made of continuous, inextensible material connected to the back pad and detachably and inextensibly connected together at their free ends in body-encircling relation. The continuous and inextensible character of the material of which the band portions are made enables supporting pressure to be developed on the back plate for immobilizing the sacrum and lumbar vertebrae regions.

The continuous, inextensible material of the band portions holding the back pad in position is in contrast with the lacing and like discontinuous, yielding structure widely used in the prior art. Lacing in the back is not practical to support the injured regions since the laced portions will generally gradually open at the bottom and close at the top, as during sitting.

Another object of the invention to provide a back brace garment of the aforementioned character in which the free extremities of the band portions include pockets for receiving and locating inguinal pads, whereby the garment may also be used for inguinal support. The use of pockets permits easy substitution of different sizes of inguinal pads, according to the particular need.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide a back brace garment of the aforementioned character in which the material is constituted of synthetic fibers, thereby providing a garment which holds its shape, is light weight in relation to its strength, is relatively smooth to thereby prevent skin marks or abrasions on the user, and is virtually inextensible.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a back brace garment of the aforementioned character which can be used alone or in combination with an outer supporting garment or band. The previously mentioned garment is particularly suited for use by patients undergoing post-operative care. However, when the patient leaves the hospital or his sick bed, it is desirable to further support the patients back to prevent bending and twisting in the sacrum and lumbar vertebrae regions. Accordingly,

a related object of the invention is to provide a garment which is adapted to be inserted within or otherwise de-, tachably associated with an outer band of ,inextensible, material. The band includes vertically oriented stays and is adapted to encircle the body and cover all portions of the body throughout the length of the sacrum and lumbar vertebrae regions covered by the back pad. With this arrangement, the wearer is constrained against both bending and twisting in the supported regions.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a back brace of the aforementioned character which is relatively inexpensive, easily manufactured, and characterized by a comparatively long service life.

Other objects and features of the invention will become apparent from consideration of the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in

which:

in position upon the wearer;

FIG. 2 is a front elevational view of the outer band which is adapted to receive and locate the structure illustrated in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged detail view taken along the line 33 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged detail view taken along the line 4--4 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a view taken along the line 55 of FIG. 2, portions being cut away for brevity;

FIG. 6 is a front elevational view of the structure of FIG. 1 carried by the structure of FIG. 2;

FIG. 7 is a rear elevational view of the structure shown in FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the structure of FIG. 1 as it would be worn by a user; and

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the structure of FIG. 6 as the same would be worn by a user.

Referring now to the drawings, and particularly FIGS. 1, 3, and 8, there is illustrated a back brace garment 10 according to the present invention and comprising, generally, a back pad 12; elongated band portions 14 and 16 each connected at one end to an opposite side of the back pad 12; and zipper sections 18 and 20 for detachably and inextensibly connecting the free ends of the band portions 14 and 16- together.

The back pad 12 is generally rectangular in configuration, but includes an upward extension or apex portion 22. The pad 12 is slightly curved throughout its inner surface to better fit the lower back, and includes a stiif supporting plate 24 made of metal or relatively inflexible plastic or the like. A resilient pad 26 .overlies the inner surface of the plate 24 and is made of any suitable cushioning material, such as foam rubber, polyurethane foam material, or a form of cloth cushion.

The back pad 12 is completely covered by an envelope of non-stretchable or inextensible material, preferably synthetic fiber material such as a double-thickness nylon parachute cloth. Such materials are preferred since they tend to hold their shape, are light in weight for their strength, are sufiiciently smooth so that the wearer does not suffer skin marks or abrasions, and are virtually inex tensible or stretchable.

As best viewed in FIGS. 1 and 3, the double-thickness material 28 covers the front and back of the pad 26 and plate 24, respectively, and the free margins of the material 28 are secured together about the periphery of the pad and plate by peripheral stitching 30 and welting 32. The band portions 14 and 16 are also connected to opposite side edges of the back pad 12 by the stitching 30.

The lower edge of each band portion 14 and 16 is horiextends downwardly to form a depending inguinal section 34. The upper edge of each band also extends generallydownwardly from the pad 12. Thus, the portions 14 arid16fXtend about the wearers hip underlie the abdomen, and terminate adjacentthe inguinal "regiorisl *"Each band-portion is constitutedby a pair of adjacent panes-3'6 and '38 madeof the material 28 and stitched together-at their side edges in any suitable manner. elongated, substantially vertically orientedstay or stiffeiieflw is stitched in position adjacent the juncture'df e'iih' pair of the'panels 36 and 38, as best seen in FIGZ'B; and a similar vertically oriented stiflener 42 is stitched into position 'upon' each of'the panels 38. The four stiffe garment-p I g An overlying layer of the material 28 is stitched'at its side and'lowe'r edges" to each of the inguinal'sections 34, hei g eft open at the top to define'a pocket 44'; A pairof iiiguiiialpads 46 made of anysuit'able cushioning material are inserted in the pockets 44 for engagement with the-in fg'ifi'nal regions of the wearenThe pads 46 are easily removable 'from the pockets 44 but are preferably secured in place by a line of stitching. I The free ends of the band portions 14 and 16 mount complemental sections 18 and 20 of a usual and conven tional zipper. A cover strip 50 is stitched onto the band portion 16 so as to underlie the assembled zipper secsaitaala'renient material, "sueh as tWo-way'stretch elastic material or others well known in the art, is stitched in triangular panels 68 adjacei t the lower margin of the outer supporting band 54 to thereby facilitate walking and sitting by the user. g

The free edges of theouter supporting band 54 are closed together by cooperating zipper sections 70 and 72.

Welting 74 is stitched to the various edge margins of the outer supportingband 54 for the sake of appearance and also to provideprotection against possible abrasion. 1 .The'i garment 10 is carried by the outer band 54 through a sleeve 76 which is defined by stitching a substantially rectangular section of material 28 onto the inner face of the central section '58; The upper and lower'edges of the '40 and 42 prevent buckling of the structure'of the' section are sewn in place but the side edges are left unstitche'd fodefine the sleeve 76 through which the back pad-12 of t'he' garment '10 is transversely slidable.

With this arrangementthe garment 10 can be worn in I? the'hospital or in bedduring post-operative care. When the"patientibecomes ambulatory, the'garment 10" is then merely s'lipped' through the sleeve 76 and zipped into place upon the wearer. The wearer than zips the band 54 onto himself, in overlying position relative to the garment 10.

" This not only insures proper location of the garment 10 in tions 18- and 20 and protect the wearer against abrasion and other irritations from the zipper.

The garment 10 is particularly useful in the postoperative care of patients having lower back surgery, although with the inguinal pads 46 it can also be used for hernia support. In most types of back surgery, such as spinal fusion or laminectomy, it is extremely important that the affected vertebrae be maintained in a completely immo: bilized state. When properly fitted, the garment 10 does just that by developing controlled support at the affected areas. Once the free ends of the band portions 14 and 16 are connected by the zipper, adequate supporting pressure is developed at the back pad 12. In addition, by utilizing usual leg ties 52, the inguinal sections 34 of the garment can also be urged into pressure engagement with the inguinal regions. The removable character of the pad 46- pocket 44 arrangement permits pads of various sizes to be quickly and easily substituted if necessary. Ordinarily the garment 10 is used, as described above, aftersurgery and during the period the patient is in bed. This permits the patient to be rolled on the bed or otherwise moved to a limited extent. However, when the patient is ready to walk, the garment 10 is preferably used in conjunction with the outer supporting band 54 illustrated in FIGS. 2, 4, 7, and 9. The band 54 is preferably made of the same material 28"as the garment 10, and is effective to receive the gar-v ment 10 to support it in position, and is further efiecti've tio substantially prevent bending and twisting in the sacrum and lumbar vertebrae regions. i

width and overlies the anterior portions of the wearers body opposite the back'regions covered by the back pad 12. That is; theband' 54covers the sides and front ofthe user from ahorizontal plane beginning approximately at-the hip and ,The' band 54' is substantially uniform in extending to a horizontal plane passing generally through z:

the-thoracic area. I

The outer supporting band 54 includes a plurality of generallyverticallyoriented stays or stitfeners 56 suitably stitched along the length of the band54 to constrain the weareragainst both bending and twisting movements in the supported region of his back. 1 -..'.The band 54 ismade in three sections to enable it to be circumferentially tightened upon the wearer, a central section 58 being connected at its side edges to a pair of adjacent side'sec'tions 60 and 62to protect the wearer from possible irritation and abrasion.

proper 'positiombut also prevents bending and twisting of the wearer in the area supported by the pad 12. In addition, a pair of usual leg ties 78 can be, employed to prevent possible riding-up of the band 54 and the garment 10. f

The'continuous and inextensible character of the material o it ofiwhich the garment 10 and band 54 is made makes bending and twisting movements of the supported regions virtually impossible, as compared to the ineffec- 7 tive beltsand' the like utilized in the prior art. To provide thejbest support, the garment 10 and band 54 are preferably custom-fitted to the wearer, and the back plate 24 moldedto the. contour of the wearers back.

Variousmodifications and changes'may be made with 7 regard to the foregoing detailed description without departing from the spirit ofthe invention or the scope of the following claims.

l claimz p '1'. A back brace garment comprising: H aback pad having a stiifsupporting plate formed and I arranged for bearing generally upon the sacrum and p lumbar vertebrae regions;

- elongated bancl portions each made of continuous inext ensible material, connected at one end to said f back pad, and being sufficiently wide to overlie the wearers hips, abdomen, and inguinal regions; means for detachably and inextensibly connecting the tree ends of said band portions together in body-encircling relation for developing supporting pressure on said plate,jhips and abdomen to thereby tend to immobilize said sacrum and lumber vertebrae regioi'i'sand to. tend toprevent swiveling of the hips and distension'of the abdomen; I body encircling'puter band adapted to overlie said -back' pad and said band portions, said outer band beingjrnade of inextens'ible material and of substan- }.tially unifori'n' width to overlie the anterior portions '.'of" the wearer's body opposite said sacrum and lumbarfvertebr'aeaegions, said outer band having a plurality of vertically oriented stays constraining the v wearer againstbending insaid regions; f n mating fo'rdetachably connecting the free ends of said outerband together to thereby press upon and t maintain said back pad inposition and constrain the upper portion of the wearers body from twisting "j relative to'his hi'ps 2: A b'ack brace garment according to claim 1 wherein said opposite" e'hds of said band-portions include inguinal 3. A back brace garment according to claim 2 wherein 5 6 said band portions include integral pockets into which 2,181,689 11/1939 Bell 128-78 said pads are insertable and removable to thereby accom- 3,362,402 1/1968 Loeifel et a1. 128-78 modate different sizes of said pads. FOREIGN PATENTS References Cited 5 693,270 6/1953 Great Britain. UNITED STATES PATENTS L. W. TRAPP, Primary Examiner. 94,087 8/1869 Dike 128-78 XR 755,547 3/1904 Rash 128-78 U.S. C1. X.R.

1,924,640 8/1933 Draves 128-78 XR 12895 

